F.S. Key girls will be fired up for Middletown

Revenge, standings focus

Carroll wrestlers shut out

Notebook

The Francis Scott Key girls basketball team will be looking for redemption when it takes to the court tomorrow at 7 p.m. against visiting Middletown in Union Bridge.

The Knights of Washington County are tied with Williamsport for the top spot in the Monocacy Valley Athletic League. Both teams have a 12-2 league record.

The Eagles (11-3) slipped a game back of the league leaders after Tuesday's 61-56 loss at Brunswick.

With Williamsport coming to Union Bridge on Feb. 18, tomorrow's contest against Middletown represents a chance for Key to control its own destiny.

"It's our fate right now," said Eagles coach Alice Smith. "It's a three-way tie for first, and we have some tough games to play."

The Knights handed Francis Scott Key its first league loss, defeating the Eagles, 55-48, on Jan. 12.

In that game, Francis Scott Key held an eight-point lead in the first half, but Middletown shot 31 free throws, compared with Francis Scott Key's two attempts.

The Eagles also committed 30 turnovers, and Smith said the Knights' defense focused on preventing her twin-tower combination of Sam Stambaugh and Adria Stonesifer from touching the ball.

"They play a tough, man-to-man defense," Smith said of Middletown. "They're very aggressive, and -- I don't know how to say this without it looking bad -- they're constantly touching you and grabbing you."

Senior shooting guard Jen Sawyer leads Francis Scott Key in scoring with 12.1 points per game. Stambaugh, a junior center and the team's second-leading scorer with 9.6 points per game, posted 16 points against the Knights in their previous meeting.

Smith said she expects other players to step forward, too.

"I'm hoping that [junior point guard] Meredith Carter will step up and control the offense and keep us poised and calm," Smith said. "And defensively, I'm hoping that [junior forward] Ashley [Norris], Adria and Sam rebound well."

Cavs miss regional

It's been a long time since Carroll County was not represented in the regional wrestling dual-meet tournament.

Since 1993, the tournament's first year, a county team has competed in the dual-meet championship every year, said former North Carroll coach Dick Bauerlein, who helped push for the tournament.

South Carroll came the closest to securing a bid to the tournament this year, but the Cavaliers needed either Bel Air or Eastern Tech to lose last weekend.

"When we beat Dulaney and they win just three matches against us, and Eastern Tech beats them by three points, I'm not happy," Olson said. "But I have to live with it."

Olson, a member of the state wrestling committee, said he is most displeased with the statewide scoring policy that awards eight points to a team for a win against a Class 4A/3A school, but only six points for a victory over a Class 2A/1A program.

Both of the Cavaliers' losses came against Class 2A/1A schools -- a 37-25 setback against Atholton on Dec. 14 and a 36-32 loss to Urbana on Jan. 8.

"Don't tell me they're shabby teams," Olson said of Atholton and Urbana, both of which earned spots in the regional dual-meet tournament. "Maybe at one time there was a need to create this points system, but I don't see the need for it now."

But Olson said his wrestlers are looking forward to the county tournament on Feb. 19 and the state tournament on March 3.

Et cetera

The South Carroll-at-Atholton boys basketball game scheduled for last Monday, but which was postponed, has been rescheduled for Monday. Tip-off is at 5 p.m.